Ace visit Mystics challenging for playoff spot (Aug 02, 2018)

WASHINGTON -- The Las Vegas Aces kick off a three-game road trip on the cusp of a playoff spot when they visit the Washington Mystics Friday night.

After a 1-7 start, the Aces (12-14) sit in ninth place overall, two games behind the Dallas Wings with eight games remaining. Las Vegas will also travel to Connecticut and Atlanta before returning home.

"We take it one game at a time. We don't look ahead," coach Bill Laimbeer said. "I think that if our players focus on the individual games coming up at hand and each one of our games for the rest of the season, then that's all I can ask as a coach."

Las Vegas had won five of six before coming out of the All-Star break with a 104-93 loss Wednesday night to a Phoenix Mercury team that had dropped four straight games.

A'ja Wilson scored 20 of her 29 points in the first half and Kayla McBride had 18 points for the Aces, who were just 33-of-84 shooting (39 percent) from the field, including 2 of 11 from 3-point range.

"You turn the page in situations like this," Wilson said of the loss. "We're going on a road trip and we really need those games, so we need to just really buckle down into who we are and not change up anything.

"Because we're making this playoff push we really can't get out of ourselves, we have to keep pushing."

The Mystics (15-11) are tied for fifth place overall, but within striking distance of second place Atlanta (16-10) and a bye to the playoff semifinals.

"No matter what happens, we'll be ready, but obviously we would love to not have to be in any of those single-elimination games because the teams are just too good this year," Elena Delle Donne told the Washington Post of her team's push for a top-two seed. "It's so level that to have a single-elimination game is pretty tough."

Washington has been scuffling of late, splitting their last 10 games. They resumed play Tuesday night with an impressive 86-71 win at Atlanta that snapped the Dream's eight-game winning streak.

Delle Donne had 28 points and 16 rebounds, LaToya Sanders added 13 points, Natasha Cloud scored 11 and Aerial Powers had 10 for Washington.

The Mystics opened the second half with a 12-6 spurt, building a 62-49 lead, and coasted home as they outscored the Dream 16-8 in the fourth quarter.

Delle Donne is averaging 26.3 points over her last three games.

The teams split their first two meetings with the home team winning each time. They Mystics won 75-70 on May 22 and the Aces answered back with an 85-73 victory on June 1.